


Growing old together

by madridog (FakeCirilla9)



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Bittersweet, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Plans For The Future, comfortfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-26 22:58:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18726568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FakeCirilla9/pseuds/madridog
Summary: Sergio visits Iker in a hospital





	Growing old together

**Author's Note:**

> I needed comfort fic about all this, couldn't find, so I wrote one myself. I'm still not ok :(

Voices from behind the doors roused him out of sleep. It took a while before his drowsy from nap and drugs mind caught up with reality.

Various lines, tubes and drains surrounding him accelerated the process, hum of apparatuses and the particular scent of antiseptic completed it. He was in a hospital. Remains of anaesthetic drugs in his system made him dull to what it meant, to the implications of it in his life. He just felt detached right now.

Iker tried to focus on the commotion behind the doors, to distinguish singular voices from the disagreement.

“...couldn't you just let me in for a minute? I flied all the way from Madrid!”

“I'm sorry, but you knew it was impossible as we informed you by phone.”

“C’mon, whole Porto squad was here already!”

“As well as his wife and brother and manager. That's precisely why he shouldn't have more guests today.”

“One more person will not make such a difference! Look, I have to be back on the board meeting in the evening or Zizou will kick my ass for leaving him alone with all the assholes there.”

“Sergio?” Iker called, discontented how weak his voice sounded.

“I understand the trouble, sir, but I really can't let you in. He needs his rest, a distance from emotional-”

“I didn't bring the whole squad! It's just me.”

“Some guests are more hazardous to his state right now. He really shouldn't go through any emotional incitement.”

“Ooh come on, if Sara was here already, he can bear me.”

The quarrel was growing more and more hostile. Iker had a flashback of calming Sese on the pitch as his friend was about to fight the arbiter or hit the opponent that had some problem with him. He needed to do something before they decided to call security and remove Sergio by force from the hospital. He cleared his throat and, summoning his captain voice, called at the doors:

“Let him in!”

They must have heard him as the voices went quiet and before Iker managed to repeat his request, not sure if they got his words clearly enough, the handle in the doors rattled and in went a distressed intern and a wide eyed Sergio.

Iker saw the worry in his friend’s eyes as clearly as if it was written in their dark depths, before Sergio covered it with a bright smile (too bright. Iker noticed its forcefulness, but pretended not to.)

"Long time no see!" Sergio exclaimed. "I missed you, old man."

He came closer, leaning over Iker's bed, closing him in a hug. Not the bones shattering one he usually employed on the pitch or during a celebratory party or training or a bus ride or really any other occasion they were together - but still firm and ensuring. One giving the feeling of familiarity and shelter.

"Would you mind the IV, sir?" Interjected the scared intern.

Which made Sergio withdraw, checking if he didn't get tangled in the various drains.

Iker was suddenly reminded of Doce.

The two others looked at him as he scoffed.

"It's ok. Could you leave us alone?" He addressed the student maid. "I can handle him."

She bit her lip looking from one to the other, then glancing at the hour.

"You've got five minutes. You need to be out of this room before my boss returns from coffee break."

The moment the doors closed behind her, Sergio produced a toy from somewhere.

"I brought you little someone to keep you company."

Iker looked at the teddy bear, relieved it wasn’t flowers or balloons. The bear was clad in a white Madrid outfit, complete with a badge and sponsors’ names.

"You know, I'm not in Real any longer."

"In our hearts you'll always be our captain.”

Something welled up in him as Sergio said the words. The guy could make something that would normally sound pathetic and exaggerated with a guilelessness that made his words rang true and simply honest.

Iker reached for the toy to hide the feelings that overflowed him.

"Thanks. I'll have someone to hug at night," he said, placing the teddy bear on a pillow beside his head.

"He likes it. Snuggled all over me in a plane," Sergio stroked the beard's snout then Iker's hair.

"Sese, don't overdo it."

"Bossy as always. And how one could forget you're el capitan?"

“Not anymore,” Iker sighed sadly.

"Hey, none of it now. You can be a coach or an arbiter or someone from the board. Hey, you can come back to us finally. Come back home."

"Don't get your hopes up. I don't know what I'll be doing... seems like the professional playing time is over."

"Damn, I could bring you Fifa game. Do they have console here? I can send-"

"Lucas and Martin have, they could lend me. But I'm not sure I want Cris’ face to be the first one I see after waking."

Sergio shuddered.

"You'd have nightmares about hair gel."

Iker smiled.

"I can leave you my picture!" Sergio brightened.

He reached to his pocket, taking out the purse. "Ah, no, that's one terrible. Why do they demand such awful photo to your ID? And then are surprised your day to day self on the airport does not match the seemingly bald egg from the official picture. Huh, at least Zizou has no problem I guess. Same for Pepe."

"Pepe's got some hair lately."

"Oh really? Not like it could improve his appearance much..."

"Sese," Iker’s voice took on a warning tone.

"What? Not my fault not everyone can be as handsome as you are."

Iker rolled his eyes.

"You're impossible."

"But it's true!"

"Yeah, especially as I lay in a hospital gown, slightly sick from all the sedatives."

"Still beautiful," Sergio kissed his palm and blew the imaginary kiss from it toward Iker.

Iker growled.

"Okay, okay, I'll behave. Too seductive for your heart right now, right?”

Iker wondered if he shall pinpoint the difference between seductive and immature but decided not to bother, since Sese obviously didn't catch it during the years of their friendship.

"God, you really scared me," Sergio sat down on his bed, taking Iker’s hand in his, careful of the PVC catheter. His mask of cheerful carelessness dropped for a moment. "Iker, when I think you could not be here any longer-"

"Now who's ruining the mood, hmm? It all sounds so serious. Heart attack. Wow, I thought only my dad or grandma can have it. And of course it is serious - or rather was. But it happened in the best time possible, doctors are always there at the training. The ambulance was in no time and everything ended fine. The whole operation didn't even last half an hour."

He caressed Sergio’s tattooed hand absentmindedly.

His eyes glazed over.

"It only hurts when I think how much it changed. Not even half a match and my life would never be the same."

Sergio squeezed his hand, looking at him intently.

"Don't talk trash like that. Your life isn't over, that's the most important. All the leagues, games, trophies mean nothing as long as you are breathing and alive"

"I didn't expect such speech from you."

Sergio smiled sadly.

"It's obvious the carrier once will be over for each one of us. I have some plans for retirement already."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. I'll develop my horse stud more. Maybe add some bulls somewhere there? Never got a chance to became toreador but I could still organize some corrida and watch it when I'm old and rich."

"I can picture you there."

"You will have a VIP entry whenever you wish. And you could buy a vineyard. I saw some not an hour on horseback from my stables."

"So you have our future planned like we were married at least. Hopeless romantic you are."

"It's possible to fulfil dreams if you work for it hard."

"Then dream on. A vineyard, huh? I quite like it. Only for what use when I wouldn’t be able to taste all the types of wine made there as docs here forbid me from drinking too much?" They said ‘not at all’ but Iker wasn't going to resign from a glass of Porto from time to time even at the price of his life.

"You're always so grumpy! I won't be fighting these bulls neither and it doesn't take all the joy away. There is always something enjoyable about it even sans drinking. There is, isn't there?" Sergio frowned, appearing to immerse deep in thoughts, "what one does at the vineyard besides drinking? And eating grapes, but that's kinda counterproductive."

"Oh, there are many things. You choose the land first, perfectly a slope leaned to the south. You sow, you mind it grow-"

"It grows itself."

"You saw the stakes the vines are attached to? Let me tell you they are not paling and tying themselves without human’s help. There is also a danger of plague and you got to have good irrigation, of course, when it doesn't rain enough. Then, when the grapes are ripe there is vintage, culmination of everything. There are feasts once everything’s gathered. Only at that time the right production of vine starts."

Iker paused, aware of how long he spoke only as his throat went dry. As he coughed, Sergio reached for a water at his table.

Iker wrenched the glass before Sese managed to help him drink it, making him feel like a complete elder.

"Iker, I gotta say, you might have missed your calling choosing football over making vine."

"Very funny."

"I’m not mocking you, I mean it," Sergio’s eyes were wide and honest, "with such passion I heard you speak only of strategies before a game. So feast once the harvests are complete you say, eh? What about one or two bullfights to celebrate it further? Or maybe encierro even?"

Iker laughed, but this time his heart felt light and he was at ease.

"Yeah, you draw our future together clearer and clearer.  You're beginning to convince me."

Sese smiled in a way that made his eyes merry too.

There was a knock at the door and the intern peered inside.

“I'm sorry, but it's already been fifteen minutes and I'm afraid my superior will be here any moment. You really have to go."

Sergio kissed Iker goodbye in the corner of his mouth, whispering to his ear, breath warm and tickling:

"Think of our shared future."

"I will.”

Sergio straightened.

"Good bye, Iker. Get well soon"

"Thank you, Sese."

That night he dreamed of hills of Andalusia, covered in vineyards, everything smelled of Porto and Sergio galloped through it on a horse.


End file.
